Then Dallas converted just five of 11 third downs and one of four red-zone opportunities.

“It looked like we were tired,” Jones said. “Throughout the game, actually tired. I don’t know if that’s the case at all, physically. But that’s what it looked like.

“This is quite a, if you will, it’s a step back for us.”

And yet, Jones insisted that step back was collective. He didn’t single out coaches or players and anticipates no midseason firings beyond offensive line coach Paul Alexander, with whom Dallas parted ways last week.

Sure, quarterback Dak Prescott threw one end-zone interception and lost another fumble, his 10th game the last two seasons with multiple turnovers. Prescott is now tied for the worst mark in the league during that time. The quarterback himself said he needs to “quit trying to take over the game and do too much at that point.”

But “tonight’s game did not — did not, I emphasize — impact my future look at Dak Prescott,” Jones said. He said he’s seen Prescott play turnover-free ball, including a rookie season when the fourth-rounder replaced Tony Romo to throw 23 touchdowns and just four interceptions en route to an NFC-best 13-3 record for Dallas.

Again, Jones declined to discuss the job security of Garrett, who opened his press conference after the loss by saying he “thought we did some good things in this game, really in all three phases of our team” though it “was certainly not enough.”

The even-keeled response, even if typical of Garrett, stood in contrast to what Jones called a “surprise” and a “setback.”

The Cowboys needed more energy Monday on defense, when they allowed the Titans to convert 11-of-14 third downs and 4-of-5 trips to the red zone. They needed to extend drives longer, using Ezekiel Elliott and the run game to bleed the clock as they did in 2016. Instead, the Titans maintained possession for 34:26 to Dallas’ 25:34.

The offense didn’t find a magical fix in its first game since the addition of Amari Cooper. Cooper, for whom Dallas traded its first-round pick, led Cowboys receivers with 58 yards on five catches and one of Dallas’ two scores. (Allen Hurns scored the second.)

We're not even nine minutes into Amari Cooper's Cowboys career and he has scored a TD

Jones, Garrett and teammates all lauded Cooper’s energy and skills, Jones touting Cooper as a “go-to guy that really opened things up,” at times, with the juice Dallas’ offense so needs.

Jones backed Cooper, one could say.

But did he also back Garrett and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, whose offense failed to score 20 points for the fifth time this season?

“I’m not in the business of backing anybody,” Jones said. “They’re my head coach and they’re my coordinator. So I just don’t not back them publicly.

“I don’t want go down the list. I’m not anticipating any more coaching changes.”

Jones doubled down on that sentiment on Tuesday morning, saying on his weekly radio appearance with 105.3 The Fan that he didn't expect to make drastic any drastic moves.

"Don't look for any real major changes in terms of coaching or how we address personnel," Jones said. "Look for what we come out with and the adjustments that we've made based on what we think this team will do."

Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones spins after getting stopped at the line of scrimmage during the second quarter of their game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK

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